London's network infrastructure planning rules could be losing the city £2.7 billion a year in economic output

VodafoneThree claims that its network infrastructure planning rules in London could be costing the city around £2.7 billion annually, or £7.4 million each day, due to Notices to Quit (NTQs). These legal notices demand that mobile operators remove equipment from properties, typically issued during construction, renovation or demolition, giving operators just 18 months to comply.

However, VodafoneThree argues that replacing a lost mobile site takes an average of five years from start to finish, creating a 3.5-year shortfall. The company wants more flexibility around NTQs and points to outdated planning processes and the complexity of securing new sites and permissions as the main culprits. Affected areas in London are referred to as "functional not-spots," which means even with coverage, local communities can experience reduced connectivity.

One in five London high streets has a functional not-spot, and such infrastructure removal can lead to years of suboptimal connectivity, costing billions in economic output. VodafoneThree advises developers and planners to involve mobile operators earlier in the planning process to mitigate these issues, as up to 60 National Rail, Underground or Overground stations could be impacted at any given time.